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Home , August 1973, Edwin Newman, News Chief, Reuven Frank, Sealab 2020, The Barkleys

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Formation of News Council Judicial Ethics and the National News Council

8-1973 The aN tional News Council's News Clippings, 1973 August- 1973 September The aN tional News Council, Inc.

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Recommended Citation The aN tional News Council, Inc., The National News Council's News Clippings, 1973 August- 1973 September (1973). Available at: http://repository.uchastings.edu/nnc/168

This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Judicial Ethics and the National News Council at UC Hastings Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Formation of the National News Council by an authorized administrator of UC Hastings Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. , SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 197J 19

By lORN I. O'CONNOR TelevisIon NE of the more significant con­ are received. The letter concluded that tuted "a controversial Issue ext public In three ·centralized conduits? If the frontations currently taking place "in our view there is no~hing contro­ importance," networks do distort, however uninten­ Oin the television arena involves versial or debatable in the proposition Getting no response from the net­ tionally, who will force them to clarify? the case of Accuracy in Media, that nat aU pensions meet the expecta­ work that it considered acceptable, AIM In any journalism, given the pressure Inc., a nonprofit, self-appointed "watch­ tions' of employes or serve all persons took its case to the FCC, and last of deadlines, mistakes are inevitable. dog" of the electronic and print press, with equity." May the commission staff ruled that Newpapers and magazines can ron versus the Nation~l Broadc;tsting Com­ The NBC stance, however, was NBC did violate the fairness doctrine "correction boxes" or "amplifications" pany. At issue is~h!...-cont~t) orfcover­ more than a bit ingenuous. If the sta­ and the staff observed that "you indi­ in letters to the editor columns. So far all thrus'!> of an hour-long documentary tistics being propounded by AIM indi­ cate no definite plans for future pro­ TV journalism hasn't fully . developed entitled"Pensions: 1'he Broken Promise," cilted that more than 90 per cent of graming which might present contrast­ similar mechanisms. presented on the network a year ago current pension plans were operating ing views," The network then decided Meantime, 'the questions multiply, last Wednesday. flawlessly, the NBC ~prqgra.m stronglyl to appeal the staff ruling to the fun even within the industry. Recentl the Generally praised by the critics, and implied that 90 per renrwere fail~res. commission and, as this column was ational Broadcast Edit' la- subsequently given a Peabody Award, tio & three- committee on the . program . offered a ' hard-hitting, . - m ormation. The committee s sharply critical look at pension plans first task was to compile a report oil in the United States. It concluded that AII~ s Fair in Love NBC's pensions program. The result, "it is almost inconceivable that tllis not unpredictably, was not one but two enormous thil1lg [a system of pensions] reports. has ' been allowed to groW up with so , The "majority" report, endorsed by little understanding of it and with so • And War, Maybe, But Robert Schulman of WHAS in Louis­ little protection and such uneven re­ ville and Dillon Smith of WMAQ in sults for those involved." Chicago, conceded that "responsible Accuracy in Media (AIM), for one, Not in TV Reporting journalism should place shocking dis­ saw the NBC news picture as gro­ closures properly within the context o·f tesquely distorted," and in November what is 'working rights'," and that thf,' charged, in a letter to . The tItle was, "Pensions: The Broken being written, that Is where the matter NBC program "~ president of NBC,. that the entire pen­ Promise," not "Pensions: Broken Pro.m­ rested. If the fulI commission rebuffs ~ubordi im- sions picture was considerably more ises." NBC, the network plans to ·go to the positive and the program was "ip vio­ In . establishing the over-all context courts fOT what it thinks could involve , . lation of the requirement of the fairness of the program, the network noted that a "landmark case." Btrt, It adds, "we believe ..• that for doctrine because it fails to give both the narrator, Edwin Newman, said: Why? If NBC can · back up i,ts doc­ such delicate questions of documen- sides of a oontroversial issue of· public "This has been a depressing program umentary, why doesn't the network . tary program content to lbe evaluated importance." to work on, But we don't want to give simply argue it out on the air with the by the FCC would indeed drastically Before going further, it should be the impression that there are no good critics? It's not necessary to present inhibit b roadcastin~ elercise of gutsy stressed that the fairness doctrine has private pension plans. There are many another, "more positive" documentary. jo~alism . " . '.. nothing to do with demands for "~ good ones. And there are many people The early-morning "Today" show can .,.-ne---«minority" report, however, time," a consideration generally applied for whom the promise has become be, as it often is, used as a forum for signed by Robert Hughes of .WPIX in to poli~ai&nlng. In the lan­ reality." For one thing, how much is contrasting views. But the network con­ New York, concluded: .' guage Of the Feoeral Communications many? For another, the remark was tends it does no.t want to be put in a\ "The broadcaster, more than any Commission, the fairness doctrine sim­ made very near the end of the program, position of ~ing in tQ,.Eessure from other single part of the communica­ ply "obligates a broadcaster presenting and even the most naive student of any individua or group that might tions complex, must think of himself one side · of a controversia:l issue of documentary techruiques realizes that , object to a program, as a conduit for increasing the under­ public importance to aflord reasonable that is no way to establish a context. More important, NBC has long op­ standing of controversial issues. As a opportunity in his over-all programing That context was establish~ early on posed . the fairness doctrine on the result, he must, at the very least, make for the presentation of contrasting with .such .comments -as; "the. ground that it gives, the Government sure that all sides of controversial i pen~on, views. ' s ste . essenti · ns <1, unconstitutional power o~r _the ~n­ issues are presented if any side is pre­ Anyone claiming a broadcast viola­ ~ll~ahoax .. ." tent ~~ and p.l!blic aff ai~o­ sented. tion of the fairness doctrine must indi­ In aadition:-Am, which generally frilming. The electronic press, it is "This is not to suggest thalt the catethe specific "controv:ersial issue" takes a politically conservative stance, ilrgUea, must ~st broadcaster should lose his voice as involved, the basis for the claim that pointed out that the airing of the pro­ Amendment rights e ' ess. the strong advocate of positions whic/;l the issue is controversial, and "reason­ gram closely coincided with pension­ e core of the cop.troversy, he believes are in the public interest. able ground" ror the ' claim that the reform proposals submitted by the Sen­ and involves immensely compli­ It does 'mean that h~re hi~ network or station has aired only one ate Labor Committee, and that in fact cated questions. With an increasing facility in such a way that he adds to side of the issue. members of the committee figured majorityr. of people relying on television the debate, rather than shl:ltting it off.i' ~BC's eventual answer to AIM, prominently in the documentary. Ob­ as their "primary" source of ·news, is a The association decid~d not to signed, by Harold Queen, a corporate serving that the reform proPo.sals were network news program, beamed over recommend adoption of the "majority" officer, maintained that the documen­ opposed by, among others, some labor airwaves that at least technically be­ report because it did not "reflect the tary did not attempt to discuss what unions and the National Association of long to the people, equivalent to a news­ unanimous view of the committee." percentage of persons do or do not Manufacturers, AIM argued that the paper, even fe: major_~-:per? Ifci'w And the debate, no doubt, is to be con­ receive pensions, or what total benefits subject of pensions therefore consti- much unlimi ed power s ou be placed tinued, possibly for many more years. allabafna §-if?:'sr~ ~ '\~D Ethics and the 11~\~6ID ' .\ - l- J 1- ,s t- ;- d J Public Interest t t OVERNOR George C. money sources and to seek 1 G Wallace called the bill approval from an ethics 1 "one of the strongest in the commission, the suit argued, nation" when he signed a we r e unconstitutional. By measure from the Alabama implication, so was the law's legislature requiring disclo­ provision that newsmen who sure of financial resources failed to comply would be by public officials. barred fro~ covering the Passed during the last legislature "or state govern­ hours of the 1973 session, the ment in any way." bill had been framed as an ethics law; but the charac­ ter of the bill in its originat­ Other states had ing chamber - the State or Senate - had changed after passed would it reached the House. pass similar laws , In ' addition 'to ; p,ubllc fig­ , ures, n,e W s,m,e n were re­ In the interests of reduc­ quired by the new law to list ing government secrecy and their sources of income and conflict of interest, a num­ to seek accreditation by an ber of other states had e t h i c s commission before passed or were considering they could practice their passage of a" law requiring . craft. Legislators and state 'public disclosure of financial officials making more than status, sources, and the like $12,OOQ a year would have to on the part of elected offi­ file income sources and cials. amounts by category. Common Cause, the " citi- Prompt Suit · zen's lobby, " completed a Two hours after it was survey last month on such passed, the new measUre legislation describing the in" was faken to CQurt. Attor- creasing popularity of the neys for the Southern Pover- laws as a " stunning'! politi- ty Law Center filed a·suit in cal phenomenon. federal district court i n Among those states with Montgomery, on behalf of existing, or pending, disclo- the publisher of the Bir- sure laws, were Washington, mingham Times, Jesse J . Colorado, , T e x as, Lewis. Massachusetts, A r i z 0 n a, The provisions requiring North Carolina, Ohio, Ore- reporters to n arne their gon, and California.

t •. ,;' '5. F. Sunday Examiner Be Chrbnicl~ THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1_6, 1973 Guid~lines for U.S. And Press Offered By Research Group Freedom House, which does research about American insti­ tutions, says that relations between the Federal Govern- ) ment and the news media are "deplorab1e" and has offered guidelines for journalists and government officials_ The guidelines were the re­ sult of a two-day conference on the problem that Freedom House held last June at the University of Maryland. The conclusions were announced Friday. The proposed guidelines in­ cluded the following: Journal­ ists should be impartial and fair, should qualify the relia­ bility of unidentified news sources, should ' protect free­ dom of while re­ specting the rights of others and should avoid conflicts of Jiuterest. Also, journalists should tell their employer!i of any outside income and should refrain from undisclosed activities that mighL raise questions about professional objectivity. Government officials, the guidelines said, should candidly discuss information they have, should not withhold informa­ tion for personal or political reasons, should tell the jour­ nalist, when they believe dis­ closures would harm the coun­ try, should not, without good reason, provide off-the-record information, should not give fal se infornlation, should give all journaJlists equal access to information and should make themselves "reasonably avail­ able" to inquirj,es. Partioipants in the confer­ ence were the following: Will iam Attwood, president and publisher of Newsday. . Geo rge- Backer, former publisher 01 The New York Post. Lawrence M. Bask ir, staff director the Senate Subcommittee on Constitutiona l Rishts. William Beecher, deputy assistant secretary 01 defense and fo rm er reporter for The Ne-w York Times. - Prof. Alexander M. Bickel or Yalt, Law School. Edwi n D. Canham, ed,i t or In chief, Th e Chr isti an Science Monitor. Leo Che rne of the Resea rch InstiMe of Am erica .. Roscoe Drummond, Washi ngton columnist . Harry D. Gi deonse, ohan ce llor of the New • School of Socia l Research. Allan Jackson of CBS Radio News. John "vnch of ABC-TV News. Thomas B. Ross of Tlhe Chi cago SU I1 -1il mes. Whitney North Sey mour Jr., 'f ormer Uni1ed Slates Atlorney for th e So uthern District ot New York. Leona rd R Suss man. execullve director of Freedom 1I 0use, 20 Wesl 40th Street. PhiliP van SIYck. a public-affairs cQ nsu ltant. Wallare Weslfe ldt of NBC-TV News. NEl'/FORT, R. I. NEWS . D. 14,500 Gt.$'(jNIA, N. c. GAZmE SEP 8 D. 21.&.10 _ . S. 2.4.5')0 . . ~

SEP 16 i973 ~, // '? Read ers~ ,------~ . ';'· ~_u .. '!l.... "News Official Says As others see it . . I . SCARBOROUGH, Maine reporters must concern them- (AP) - Any newspa per that selves with economics,' ticket Monitoring fails to listen to its readers has a prices and salaries; racial, an­ problem with credibility, th e ti trust and ·"a host of other · New England Associated Press problems" that they didn't have News Executives Association to worry about before." the press was told Friday. Boston Globe columnist Ray "Whether or not editor'; real- Fitzgerald, appearing with ize it, the reader is participating Mainella, said recent stories ANYBODY WANT to make a in the running of th e that the news media received ' complaint against the press? ... We 're discovering the reader free ti ckets to sporting events Now there's a place to lodge it is smarter than we thought he hu rt the media's credibility. - the Naljonal Ne.l~~. uncil , set up was," said John C. Quinn, vice- However, he sa id. many news­ in New York as an independent body president in charge of news for papers and the news services to monitor the national news media Co., Inc. have si nce discontinued the and check out complaints about their . Rep. William S. Cohen, R- practi ce of accepting free accuracy or faimess. Maine, was to speak on "shield passes and gifts. legislation" Saturday morning William Crowley, .public rela­ " Nation al. " is the key word ; before Loren Ghiglione. editor tions director for th e Boston only news organizations of nation­ and publisher of the South- Red Sox, said telecasting of wide significance will come under bridge, Mass., Evening News games "has changed sportsw­ the Cow1cil scrutiny. That limits the discusses the "New England riting. Everyone knows about field somewhat, but those who want Daily Newspaper Survey and the game and just writing about to complain about the press wili still Nati onal News OlllnciJ." it isn 't enough. Now they want not feel hemmed in. -saf'uro,ayiirg1iT; ... Richard H. to kn ow why." People in the news business are Stewart, national editor of the Earlier, the editors heard Boston Globe and former press Louis D. Boccardi, executive nO.tsure whether the Council is a good secretary to Sen. Edmund S. editor of the Associated Press, thmg. Some are for it and others look Muskie , D-Maine, will speak on who spoke on "The AP :1 on it as a probable busybody out to "Credibility· and Campaign Credibility." justify itself. It has no power to com­ Coverage. " I pel any party to provide informa tion Highlighting the Friday eve­ orcooperate with its inquiries : there­ ning program, Quinn ' said, fore it will have to depend on public "Credibility goes when we louse opinion to have any force. up the televisio n schedules. ''Credibility goes when we mess The iclea of an outsid ers ' judgc­ up a little league box score, or and-jury on press performance has ' whatever is the. bi g event in been tried before, but never on a' your town. national ·basis L'1 the U. S. This one ''He (the reader) pays 15 is starting off with an uphill road to cents for news, not tec hnology. climb to lJrove ItS value. -_. Tulsa "If we are go ing to have (Okla.) World credibility, the editor ... must put together the fa cts. If we do respond, we are an 'us' If we don't, we are a 'them.' Quinn also told editors of the six-state area that the news­ paper must: -"Fulfill its obligation to ' Wall Street. A newspaper is not a charitable organ. -"Fulfill its obligation to main street. It has to be part of EDITOR & PUBLISHER the business corrununity. NEW YORK, N. Y. -"Fulfill its obligation to W.24,000 Elm Street, or the readers. "What arrives on the doorstep is what's going to determine its SEP 15 1973 credibility," Quinn said. . In his remarks to the New * * * England ne wsmen, welcomed REPORTERS to Maine by Gov. Kenneth M. I mu, t take exception ,,·itll ~I a rk 'Ielder's Curtis, Quinn also said a credi­ a ~s umJl tio n that there are no re porters on bility problem of is I the ~~ !j!1. n .at News Cp u.neil (E&P, August "trying to report on half a glass 25 ). of ale. The teetotalers blame us \1 ( 11)' hil';'. tholl p: h ~h '! carripo thl'! title because it's half empty and of co·ed it or, does plentv of reporting for others blame us because it's the Texas Ousen :er. The ycrv nature of that p)( celll'nt puhlication make ~ it e ~ !' e ntial half full. that practically all i! ~ employes, including I "The reader is no longer will­ editor Kaye Northcot t. he repo rters. And ing to settle for u<; telling him Kaye and :'1011 y are two of the best, any­ it's half empty or half full," where. Quinn said. "He wants a better explanation, including where ("'(/1111 i., (ls .<;. (

9/11/73

THE DAILY TIN\ES Woodbury, New Jersey Phone 845-3300 ,227 -3333

GEORGE NEUH A RT, Pvblishcr a nd Editor

TH OMAS WI L T , M a n aging Ed,i tor T OM D IT ULLIO, Busi n ess Manager G EORG E A N A ST A SIA, Ci ty Ed i tor . CARL OS WARNER , C i r cula t ion D ir , J AC)< W IL SON , G ener a l M a n a ger JO HN BERGER, A S S T, C ir culation Dir ED MA H ON , C i rcui a ' ion ManiJg er CLI NTON WIT HE R S, A dv , Director L A P R Y A , GRAN S DEN , P r oduction D ir , B A RRY PREHN, R et ai l Aelv , Mgr, A L B E R T STU A RT, Co m posing For em an JI M SC H M ITT. Cla ssi f ied Mgr , BOB R teHM A N . Pressroo m Foreman •

, (, I T. :\E\\" YUHK (:\E:\ l -;\Iore than HO know about im'oh'ed jo i n i n! ~ forces "Yes, " wrote L eonard Schubert of citizens like I'\'cl'\'bodv else, Ii' the percent of the' nation's , n e w ~ p a per with UnS3 \'ory gr uups in c\ ckmge for the i\ larinette (\\'is, I L agle-Sta r, First ;\menci:nrn't dot's 'not offer editors would r ather go to j ail than some du biolls scoops, '. f;t \'oring the propo se d " shield" sufficient prOl l' ct.ion in spec ific cases, rc\"('al conficiC'nt ial news sources, A ;\!any editors \\'11 0 ,,;er e pr cpared to kgislation , ", but l I prefe r the co n­ they shoul d be prcpar ed to go to j a iI to r ecent poll of 34:l edi tors indicated go to j ail to protec t sources, said that st itutiol1al protec ti on which , eemed to prot ec t SOlll:C C'S , " \\' r ote ,James Oliver that H:l percent arc ' (prepared" or it wou ld dt'!)('nd 011 the spccific ca se, functi on for "cars until the courts of thc t'dbert L ea (,\ l inn , ) Tribune, "probably prrp:l red" to face jail if ,J ohn A. Joncs of the Johnson Cit\' broKP it dO\\'!i, " On \\'hether the "fr('e press " clause ordt'rcd by a grand jury to r e\'ea l (Tenn, ) Press-Chroni cle ans\\'c,-ed :\lany editor s \\'11 0 suppoi'ted the of the F irst :\ 1l1clldmcnt is absolute protected souret' S, less equi\'()callv : "Yes, \\'ithout shi cld spec ifil'd that it should be :lilt! r eq uires no int erpret ation, The sa me poll showed that ed itors sources. w e wOlllel depe nd upon ;tbso lulC and un conditional- for in­ opinion s divl'r ged ,~ I!:l r ply , arollnd till' countn: are a lmos t go\'('rnment PH men to ' fill us i n,' st ance, Sandra Thorson of the La ' "Yes, :\0 1.1 \ \ ' ll1 e: 1I1S ,'~O LA \\'." equally di\'ided on wile'ther or not they Experience ha s shO\\'fl that the\' will P ort e ( Inri, 1 H (' r ald ·A r ~u s , \\'ho wrote Hobcrt [. e\\'is of the Tr o\' (Ala, ) f \\'hite 1I0use," abs olute, \ \' (> , " 'l' ; Jl'ill~ iclc:ildic :1! lci fl'l'llhat the "fr(,e press " d.luSC of the The majority oj' " shI eld" opponents He!'ponci ing to the " jail" ques tion, s('lfish to th i: \!, so," ~o unl ere d Stan First :\mcndnwnt is ab ~ ol ut (' and fea red that such a !aw might open the Charles \\', L'tter of 111': Wes tcrl\' Voit or tl,c :\al chez (i\Iiss) requires no interpretation, \\'bi le 0.5' door for further congr l'ssinn.:l1 ( R, I. I Sun wrote: ' Dem oc r at. pei'cent thought that a :\ationa l Press limitation 01 r eporters' r ights, Council to m oni tor the nat ional media "\'('s, \rill YOU go \\'i th me','" 1'::lIl' ick Bll.., he\' of the ;(lamat'h Hichard Day of the .\I ontro ~ e (Colo, ) " I'd like to sa \' \'es . but I wO llder F::dls ( On> , ) I !e r,ild and :\C\\'5 feared wa s unequi\'ocally or protx.l bly a bad Da ily Pr ess' argued: " .. \ny Jaw \\'ou ld what I'd do, in fac·\. if the challenge th at an "ab- olutc" intcr pretation idea, deline3te the ar eas ('o \'ered t)\' the arose," answered John 0 , Hjclle of would lea \'(.' th e door open to por­ These at~itud es were !'(' vpalcd in a 'shield,' th us crea ting specific ' 'non­ the Rismarck (:\,D ,) Tribune, no g raph~ ', "Ci\'en an absol ut e choice, poll taken r ecently by :\p\\'spaper Wh ile the editors sun'eyed split 48 shi eld' arras, The cOllrts should I'd t:d-: e p r " ~s fr eedom \\'ith POl" f::nterpri se Association of 560 percent to 45 per cent on whether or handle the issue a:; it Llr i,;es on an nography , but r feci we can h ~ \ 'e one I m'\\'spaper s who subscribe to i\EA's not they fa\'or a " shield" law for indi\'idual ca se ba sis, A ne\\' la\\' daily se n 'ice, Uf the ·editors polled, wi thout th e ot her ," r eporter s, the difference r ea lly turns might opcn the flo od~a t e::i for othcr, BUit ',vhil e 7J pPrcen t of those polled , :145- 01' 6~ perce nt - responded, on a ques tiun of mea ns rather than r estrictive Irgislntion," L a wrellce Sa\\'\'er of t he Ter re fed that till' F irst ,<\mendment is principle, All but a handful of the ,\ fcw 0ppollcnts of tlie law feared it , ('xplici t and sh ould not be con strued to Haute ( Ind,) Star ' took issue with the editors feel that r eporter s should be might lead to licensing of r eportcrs majority on protec ting confiden tial limit press freedom, many of them protec t cd, I\'lany ques tion whether a and photographers, while a sub­ added, "I'm afraid the Supreme sources: " :\0, Once in a blue m oon "shi eld" is the bes t wa\' to secure stantial minority opposed the idc;t en this might be necessary. but C2ses I Court does n't r> gl'ce with me, " such protec t ion, - the gr ounds that " reporter s are \\'hilp onl\' six percent of the ----,------.------respondent s !clt Ih<1 t a :\ational Press Council was a good idea, sc \'eral Questions A sked in Editors Poll editors agrcI'd \\'i lh Fred O['o\\'n of the St erling (Co lo, ) ,)ou r ll al-t\cl\'oca te :\. As an editor, are you prepar ed to go to Jai l rather 1. Do \'ou bclie\'e the formation of a :\ationa l Press thtl! " sel l·regula tion is i nfinitel\' than to r evea l a sour cc of ne\\'s to a grand j ury'} Council \\'hi ch \\'ould monitor the national m edia ( \\ire prcfE'r a hi (' , t" governmcnt and supplemental sen 'ices and syndicates ) as proposed a. Y ('s ,I:! IH'rccl1t c. :\'0. :3 pcrc('nt regulati pn," h, Prohaht:-.' Y(' s ·11 lH'rccnt d . Prob:lhly 11 0 :1 ]J(,J' CI' Jlt by til(>' 'I\\'enticth Ce ntury Fund, is: Othcr s. likC' Garner Allen of the c , :\0 I'c ~ponsc II pf'rccllt - it. ,\ good idea Ij perct' nt h. ,\ b:ld ide3 :J3 per c('nt Stuttga rt (;\ rK,) Dail\' L ea der, 4, 1)0 you belie\'e the fr ee speech-free pr ess clause ill c, PI 'o h a hl~ ' a good idt.'3 :! O pcr ce n! d. Probably a had wondcred: "\':1.0 then n10nitors the til(' Bill of Rights (''Congress sh.::111 m ake 11 0 law , ' id(';J ::11 IWrC{'nt coun cjj ' ~ God '? " abridgi ng the freedom of ~pecch, or of the press , , ,"i is P. :\'0 rt' s poll~l' !I !Jereelll . A lar ge !lumber of ed itors [earcd 2, Arc you in favor of a national shield law for r epor­ absol ule and r equires no intcrprctation '? tha t [h e c51ablishment of such a " 'Now Why Oidn 'f I Think of That?" ters? a, Y l'S iO p('r'ccnt h. :\'021 percellt c, :\0 r es poll Sc li \'oluntary council \\'ould encourage perccllt a. Y(>s ,IX pcrcellt h, :\0 ,1:; p(,I'l:('n!c. :\0 I'('SPOII SC 8 percellt go v crnm enw~ r eguiation of the press, Somebody, Somewhere, Is Going to Be Unhappy By John J. O'Connor Bones" and the reruns of the in "WlJat Price Healtb ?", an forgetting that the critics might two "Maude" abortion episodes, hour - long documentary, the justifiably demand equal time N one episode of "The Wal­ also involving CBS. It is tempt­ "National Broadcasting Com pal1,¥­ after each episode of " Medical I tons" last season, the large ing to conclude that CBS must .took a frankly critical ar}f0~ Center " or "Marcus Welby ," and loving family befriended an be doing something right, but tOzr=the general state 0 e which never seem to be bur­ Italo-American boy from New. the problem isn't limited to a care in this country. It ques­ dened with the reality of a medi­ York City. Just passing through single network or to such glar­ tioned spintling costs , insurance cal goof or hospital bill. town, as all sorts of "exotic" ingly visible programing. plans, the incidence of medical A compromise was finally outsiders conveniently happen to On one side, there is the ad­ injuries and some of the policies reached. The president of the do on " The Waltons," the you th of the American Medical Asso­ AMA recently appeared on displayed the usual hostility of vertiser, anxious to sell products and equally anxious, for the ciation. NBC's " Today" show. There, in an urban juvenile delinquent. In an interview with Frank McGee, the end, though, after returning most part, to avoid making con­ troversial waves. When " Sticks Yes, it might be argued, the he presented the organization's some money he stole from the qu ality of medical care has been view of medical-hospital mat­ Walton family, he came to trust and Bones" and the "Maude" re­ runs encountered some antagon­ improving constantly, and the ters. The presentation was rath­ and respect the ways of his istic flak, the advertisers, dis­ miracles of modern medicine er ineffectual, but the confronta­ friendly benefactors. playing backbones of tapioca, are indeed occasionally won­ tion seemed to be resolved. The plot was a bout harmlessly withdrew all commerci a~s from drous. But, it can also be Actu ally, formats like "To­ argued, there is something basi­ average for the series. It wasn't th e~programs . day" and the " CBS Morning harmless enough, though, to cally wrong with a system that News" have long been used by Occasionally they don 't stop can, easily and frequently, wipe avoid viewer objections entirely. there. Last year when the " CBS the networks as a convenient An Italian organization informed out the modest savings of hard­ forum for satisfying insi stent Evening News" covered Con­ 'Working families and individ­ the Columbia Broadcasting Sys­ gressional hearings on issues af­ critics. And the practice is val­ tern that the program was uals. That was one of the areas id. While the networks may use fecting fisheries, a manufactur­ attacked, with a degree of emo­ biased! not because the delin­ er of canned tuna fish decided it as a device for " getting them quent thief was Italian but be­ tion unfortunately rare for TV, off our oack," the critics are CBS did not give enough air in " What Price Health?" cause he was subjected to the time to the industry's side of the being given legitimate and effec­ process of "waltonization." case. The manufacturer then . tive exposure. In the end, a va­ Predictably, the mas s i '/ e riety of viewpoints can work The point: No matter what ap- withdrew its commercials from wheels of the AlVlA were rea'!!y' pears on the TV screen, some- the network and most affiliate their way onto the TV screen. 10r the counterattack, charging That has to .be encouraged. On body, someplace, is bound to be stations. unfairness and imbalance, put­ television, less is definitely not unhappy. This was dramatized Then, on the other side, there ting every detail of the program more. on a grand scale recently by the are the pressure groups and pro- under a microscope. Equal time 'uror surrounding "Sticks and fessional lobbyists. For instance, ~a s demanded for a response., ~ ' " York Times • S. F. Sunday Examiner & C'hronic:e Datebook, Sunday, September 9 , 19,7,3 : b , . 8 THE REVIEW and OUTLOOK Fairness and the Faw,"ess Doctrine It is no secret that some network No one concerned abO'ut the brO'ader TV and radio executives disapprove of aspects of press freedQm can take the Fairness Doctrine, the require.. comfQrt that a- government agency is ment that contrasting viewpoints be empO'wered to apply a yardstick to prO' · aired O'n cO'nrtroversia'l issues of public O'r con pronO'uncements, even in a Ii­ · importance. It isn't that these' O'fficials C€nsed industrY'. But neither shO'uld disapprove of editO'rial balance,' but anyO'ne concerned with press freedom they cO'ntend that true balance dO'es not take comfort frQm the FCC staff find­ necessari'ly consist of apprO'ximately ing that O'nly twO' brief statements near equal time, and that its judgment is the end of the hO'ur-long dQcumentary not the prO'vince of gO'vernment but O'f O'n pensiO'ns eQuId be taken to present a resPO'nsible jO'urnalists. viewpoint at odds with the general im­ It's easy to sympathize :VI/uth their pressiO'n that the private pension sys­ concern, and the Fairness Doctrine O'b­ tem is replete with. faHure. Or take viO'usly has shor,tcomings. But the net­ comfQrt that the health care documen­ wO'rks do not seem to 9.e....doi"nimuch to tary shO'wed a five-year-

34 Why do the networks and the indi­ that in A v Westin, then television and it's a pity he didn't vidual station owners rip off what is executive producer of The ABC Eve­ leave it at that. "The point is not to potentially the world's greatest me­ ning News, wrote his ,correspondents: change the news but to understand its dium not of mass shilling but of mass "I have asked our Vietnam staff to limitations," Epstein concludes in his communications? Why do we allow alter the focus of its coverage from final paragraph. The point, however, network television to devote only a combat pieces to interpretive ones, is to understand television's limita­ twentieth of its time to news and public pegged to the eventual pull-out of the tions and then to change the news. 0 information? Our answer in part is American forces." The previous No­ that this is the result of having al­ vember NBC had made a similar de­ lowed corporate America to dominate cision. Epstein tells us this in his first lobodJLoves broadcasting for 60 years, not as the chapter as an example of how tele­ custodian of the public interest, but vision refines and determines its own James llestoD to drum up trade. reality. This would seem, however, to Deadline for the Media: Today's Many of the chains that Epstein be a clearly political decision. What a ChaHenges to Press, TV and Radio, by describes bind all mass media report­ pity the author did not show how the James Aronson (Bobbs-Merrill, 32 7 ers. The most brutal chains are within Vietnam coverage changed over the pp., $8.95) reporters, a hundred tiny chains of years, evolving as it was presumably obeisance and training and cunning manipulated to conform to network By Larry Simonberg and apprehension, chains for which policy. reporters pay a price. They are also The most dangerous kind of ide­ Schizophrenia is the natural state of victims of their own establishment; ology is that which wears the mask of the journalist- usually in a relatively they want to write lead stories. The neutrality, for it is ingested unnat­ benign form but always subject to ag­ whole symbiotic relationship between urally, soaking into the pores of a gravation. He is torn between the ob­ the national political establishment people instead of coming in through ligation of citize~hood and the tradi­ and the national press, which Epstein their eyes and minds. The over­ tion of dispassionate observation; describes in terms of television, began whelming amount of coverage given between readers with real and imag­ in its contemporary manifestation to the 592 returning POW's was an ined grievances and sensitive official­ with Joe McCarthy and the printed act of ideology, of mythmaking, and dom; between know-nothing publish­ press. As Richard Rovere has ob­ a palliative to the Nixon adminis­ ers and dreams of the great American served, McCarthy understood what tration. If the Fairness Doctrine, novel. Hack reporter and lordly pun­ the press wanted and he knew how to which Epstein posits as one of the ul­ dit, James Reston and I, we both give it to them. His press releases timate arbiters of television, were in­ have the same problem: Nobody were couched in language that had deed an all-powerful force, then loves us. "Front Page" written all over them. shouldn't we be seeing something else This is all very much in the grand He knew when to give his "news" out on television these days? Let's see tradition. The journalist- a fancy, to hit those evening editions. And 592 POW's, 50,000 war dead, 254,- academic word for reporter of or now everybody from Kennedy to Na­ 000 unemployed Vietnam veterans, commentator on the news-may occa­ der to Jerry Rubin knows how to ma­ 40,000 drug-addict veterans who have sionally be a romantic, trench~coated nipulate the media and the press not received treatment from the gov­ figure skulking through riverfront doesn't care since it is being serviced ernment. dives of London. But more often he's with what it chooses to define as Not only does Epstein downgrade a guy with run-down heels scram­ news. the political aspects of television news bling in the street for a press release Attend an ordinary Congressional but he ignores the parameters under or a drudge at the copy desk trying to hearing, the classic pseudo-event. All which television news can operate, purify the English language in the the television cameras line up feeding parameters that the networks rarely middle of the night. off the event, while correspondents sit come close to touching. As it is CBS Like an umpire, a reporter does not back in all their double-knit elegance, has had special reports on Watergate play the game. But he is absolutely with heavy bemused looks on their and the wheat scandals that reached necessary if the game-public af­ faces. But what is the gentleman from the highest levels of American jour­ fairs-is to be properly played. James The New York Times doing here? And nalism. That network's 60 Minutes Aronson, teacher and author, journal­ the fellow from ? may well be the best weekly maga­ ist of the "straight" and "radical" And a dozen or so reporters from zine in America: innovative, con­ presses, has attempted to present the news services, news magazines, other sistently newsworthy, and frightfully reality of today's journalism in a papers and radio? Why day after day entertaining. book that is a somewhat shaky com­ do they sit there sucking on that par­ The real danger of Epstein's thesis bination of the latest flashes from the ticular tit, drinking that bitter sweet is that it excuses television. It gives front where the Nixon administration milk? No, if institutional factors were the networks a way out. It is a is skirmishing (pre-Watergate) and a all-important in defining television profoundly conservative and a historical survey. Unfortunately, news then the media would be as dis­ profoundly patronizing way to look Aronson is not given to humor or tinct as their very different institu­ at network news. Television news even that welcome, if protective, old tional limitations, and they just are does come from somewhere and it journalistic standby- cynicism. Aron- not. does go somewhere and in the years One could come up with a much to come it will be of even greater im­ Larry Simonberg is a contributing edi­ different thesis based on Epstein'S in­ portance. Epstein has come to terms tor of Juris Doctor and political re­ formation. He tells us, for instance, with the organizational limitations of porter with the Associated Press.

Juris Doctor- August/ 35 1EXAMINE)l Monday, September 10, 1973-Page 60

Gannett Buys Another Paper Gannett Co ., Inc., of Rochester, N.Y. , which. owns the largest number of newspapers in the nation, agreed to""ac­ l quire the Brooksville Sun-Journal, Florida's only tri-weekly paper, for $650,000. The newspaper has a circulation of 5000......

22 . -_ . - L + ' N ixon'sCharge of IVicious' Reporting On TV to Be.. Studied by News Council By u:s BROWN would ask the White House for must think we have the stuff . " . . a 1dst of specific charges and lying arourid in bound volumes. For Its first malor case smce that it would then examine the When the White '}Jouse pro­ it was established last April, tapes and other recordings of vides specific examples, we will the National News Council will broadcasts al'ound those dates. accord the council a reasonable look into 'and appraise Presi- \ If the networks do not com- amount of cooperation with dent Nixon's charges that cer- ply in full, he said, "we will transcripts." ,tain· news reporting by tele- get the tapes and transcripts The president of C.B.S. News, , vtsion networks had been "out- by another route, probably Richard Salant, was away, but . I'ageous, vicious and distorted." through the National Television a spokesman said the .company I The council said that both News Archives at Vanderbilt would provide, whatever tran­ . the White Hous~ ft'':1d the net- University in Nashville, which scripts might specifically be ~e- works had been InVIted to par- has been monitoring network quested. Beyond that, he said, ~fcipil.te in the ~tudy, alt~o~gh news shows for several years C.B.S. is withholding any. f?t'­ ItS executive dl,rector, Wilham and has become a repository, mal statement on the coUlIl9i1 m­ B. Arthur, is aware that the I for all newscasts." vestigatlon until-Mr. Salant can networks are divided in ~heir Mr. Arthur's ~ letter to the be reached. . .,attitudes t«)wil.r~ the counCl,I: networks asked for "any per-. Mr. A~hur said the ~ouncII, The Columbia BroadC81S~mg tinent transcript involvipg m reviewmg a~d analyzm~ the System endorsed the organ1za- material cited by the Presi- network reportmg, would Judge Hem when it was formed under dent." whether the networks we~e ,t~e sponsorship of the Twen- Elmer Lower, president of guilty with regard to th,: Presl­ ,tleth Century Fund. Howe~r, A.B.C. News, said, "1 interpret dent's charges. He said the the American Broadca~t!ng that to mean that they 'want cou~cil. had .no pe carried on public tele­ bve. ·same reaction. He said: "They vision, if it were interested." -I Asks for Specifics "" But the initial response from the networks upon receiving word ,of the cot,lDcil's intentions lut night was uniform. The news diVision presidents of all three said they would cooper- ; ate to the extent of supplying q specific transcripts that mi&ht 1 be, requested but were nOit m- ~ e1ined to tlim over all pro-! grams and material 'not ~ed I for a two-month or three- month periOd. . "the President made a broad indictment of television news and wasn't at all specific," said one network news chief. "If the White House will be spe­ cific about its complaints, we ,would be willing to supply the indicated,transcripts." Mr. Arthur said the council Nixon and. the Press.: The Rift Is Reopenld I By JOHN HERBERS gate, ~he troubled economy and Iswer: Mr. Rebozo was tired of ren, a low-key~d former news- Special to 'I'he Now York TIm.. a host of other problems: on publicity and the President did pape.r!TIan, to dlsp~1 s0l!le .of the l LAGUNA BEACH C I Aug the one hand, the p~esldent l not want to embarrass him.) hostlhty. At today s brlefIn~, he . ' ~ . , . seems to have no choice but H w . was bombarded by questIons 28-Thls afternoon, wIre serv- to make ev.ery effort to show I . o. can a President who has about rising prices, rising inter­ ice reporters began staking out that his Administration is mov- , lIttle Independent wealth ex- est: rates, the President's fi­ President Nixon's home in San ing ahead at full efficiency on l pect to pay a note of $226,000, nances and his secret move­ Clemente to be on hand in the various 'problems f.acing. the more than his gross salary ' of ments out of the Presidential . country-thus the IntervIews; $200 000 a yeaI' on his homes compound. Mr. Warren at- e~ent the President should de- on the other hand, the Presi- next' July? And' on and on the tempted to depict a President crde .to go to the beach or take dent's personal. bitterness ~t questions go. White House with a . ti~h~ grop on his job a dnve on the Freeway, as he the press, as displayed at hIs aides were angered that The and optImlsttc about the future, frequently does. · news conferencela~t Wednes- New York Times published this but in the kind of surreali.stic It marked the breakdown of day, seems t? h~v~ In.creased- morning, in its account of the atmosphere, that characte~lzes a nag r e erne n t as re.flected In hIS ) nSlst~nce on auditing report, the fact that Mr. NIxon s press re.latlons, under which the keepIng reporters at a distance. two former officials of Coopers there was not much feelIng that News press office would The extent of Mr. Nixon's & Lybrand, the auditing firm, he had succeeded. Analysis advise the report- continuing troubles can be were fined for mail fraud in '. On t~e other hand, the sen­ e r s , who are pointed out in his efforts to 1968 and received Presidential lor Whlte House staff that suc- . housed several stem criticism of the lavish pardons last December. ceeded H. R: Haldeman and miles. away in L~guri·a Beach, expenditure of public and pri- How Disclosure Emerged Joht:t D. EhrlIchman, w~o left any time the PreSIdent left the vate money on his vacation . April 30, are. attemptIng to privacy of his compound and homes here and in Key Bis- ThIs fact was known, ':Vhen ,sh?w that affaIrs of state are ventured into public areas. ~er cayne, Fla. Yesterday, in a kind Cooper & ~ybrand was pIcked ~OIng on and that the people !!he weekend, he went for drtves of bitter-end effort to resolve on the advIce of H. Chapman !n charge are real human I?e­ and to the beach, apparently the controversy "once and for Rose of CI~veland an~ Kenne.th Ings who are n~t obsessed w.lth instructing his spokesmen not all" as his spokesmen put it W. G~mmll1 of PhIladelphIa, fears and neuros~s. Some, lIke _ to infonri reporters. This seem- th~ President distributed a de~ two hIghly rega~ded tax law- AleXiander M. Halg, ~rs. An.ne ingly minor incident points up tailed audit by a public-ac- yers. who came In to help the Armst~ong an~ lV!el"In R. LaIrd the embittered relationship be- counting firm detailing all of Pre~ldent on the mat~er. The are qUIte convIncIng. tween President NiX'On and the the transactions and amounts White HC?use ex~lanatJOn was T~ere was .a healthy open press, a relationship tha,t has of money involved in the Presi- t~at the ftned, It';1dltors had lon.g feehng, relatJv~ly speakIng, grown progressively worse over dent's purchase and mainte- SInce left the fum and that .·it about the receptJo~ at the com- recent weeks. nance of the homes never occul!ed to anyone tn- pound the other nIght. For. ex- "Negotiations have broken . . v?lved that It would make any ample, Earl L. Butz, the !rre- down," said one of the report- No PreSident! Ger~ld L. War- d.lfference or attract any atten- pressible Secretary of. Agrtcul­ ers on his way to San Cle- ren, the. PreSIdentIal spokes- tlon. ture, was there saying how meine. "The President has de- man,. said, ~ad ever. gone ~o Further, any time such infor- great;t was that the depart­ clared war and the war is on." far In making pubhc detaIls mation appears, some members ment heads were now free of about his private property. But of the White House immediate- White House control. Staff MakIng an Effort this did not end the contro- Iy suspect that the information But there is still the brood- At the same time, senior versy. The flow of news, analy- did not come from independent ing President, secluded in his members of the White House sis and opinion out of this sources to the newspapers but home and office, but no one staff have made themselves western seat of government was "leaked" by the office of offers many answers as to more available for interviews. continued to raise questions Archibald Cox, the special what is really on his mind and I Some even turned out Sunday embarrassing to the President: prosecutor in the Watergate whether his Administration can I night for a reception for report- Why did the President conceal matters. The fear and dislike come to grips with the troubles ~rs at the Presidential com- for three months the fact that of the Cox operation ,in the that beset it. Out here, it is a I pound, something that would his good friend C. ( ~ . Rebozo White House is intense. This in- strange little war in the cozy I, never have happened earlier in teamed up with industrialist creases the ' antagonisms with enclave called the Western the year. Robert H. Abplanalp to helP Ithe press. White House. i These contradictory trends bail the President out by buv- The daily briefings have be------I have the same cause--a Pres i- ing part of the Nixon estate come more and more strained, I' CAMP, HAPPINESS, KIDS. dency embattled over Water- here? (The White House an- despite the efforts of Mr. War- THE FRESH AIR FUND. r AgDrew Ca'se lIews leale The Media's Doubtful Role

By D4Vid S. Broder tions, now being investigat~ Times, which on There are many reasons ~'eader shOUld be told th.­ Washfngton Post ' ed by a federal prosecutor named "sources close to the why the press ought to be mudballs hitting Agnew 'are and g I' and jury in .Balti­ investigation" as buttressing wary of "fenCing" leaked in- coming from that direction. Washington I more. its version of the payoff alle­ formation from criminal in- A couple of weeks agIO, RIGHTS gations, editorialized: "Vice vestigations. For one thing, Those who "fence" leaked in cQmmenting on the Talk about curious detach­ President Agnew has every the great lesson · we were information forget that we supposed to have learned as journalists have just as . President's 1 a s t formal ment and a studied sense o~ right to complain that his from the McCarthy era was much stake in the probity of speech on Watergate, the remoteness : My favo~ite ed­ constitutional rights a I' e Washington Post editori­ itorialists acted as If they be i n g violated by leaks at­ that responsible journalism the criminal justice system ally' criticized "the cu­ had no kinship to the news­ tributed to 'Justice Depart­ requires t hat accusations as any other citizens, A riously .detached status­ papers where these leaks ment sources' ,"'" against individuals not be while back, several hundred almost that of bemused had appeared. delivered naked to the read- An;lerican newspapers pub­ VIRTUE er but be presented with-due lished Jack Anderson's col­ spectator - which Mr. My own beloved Post, Nixon assumed for him­ There hasn't been such a regard to the motives and umns containing verbatim which on reported suspiciously conspicuous dis­ credibility of the accuser. . . excerpts of Watergate grand self." t hat "informed sources" It"was "this play of civic virtue since a The " sources ci.ose to the jury testimony. The ration­ said several Maryland con­ San Francisco madam led investigation" e vas ion alization one heard from edi­ stuffied sense Analysis tractors had told the prose­ of r-emote­ her string of girls to the Red makes this impossible. Hthe tors was that "somebody's and cutors of personal cash pay­ Cross blood bank during sources are, as Agnew sus- going to publish it, whether I ness," the ed­ ments to Agnew, editorial­ itorial s aid, Opinion World War II. peets, on tne government do. or not." ized rat her grandly ' that All three papers washed that' stripped " . . . the vic e president is side, one has to wonder why Not a single editor I know all conviction their hands of responsibility a prosecutor with a genuine- argued that the grand jury well within his rights to be for publishing the "leaks" from his statements deplor­ powerfully annoyed .. . " 1y strong case would risk it system could survive repeat­ ing the transgressions com­ by quoting Mr. Agnew's own by premature publicity that ed disclosure of confidential mitted by those in his em­ Our 'friends across town at statement that "the blame could easily get him thrown testimony. Not a single edi- ploy. the Washington Star-News, must rest with those who out of court. tor contended that the rights which on cited Somehow, "that "editorial give this information to the STAKE ·of· accused persons can be "reliable sources" as the ba­ press. " came to mind " this week sis for a similar story, now If, on the other hand, as pro t e c ted if accusations when looking ail: the way But' that rationalization made in that non-adversary said editorially: "The vice works only if those of us. in " the No . 2 man in the Justice forum are publicized. None­ leading newspapers handled president is entirely con'ect . Vice President Spiro Ag­ journalism are going to set a Department says, the the1ess, the leaked testimo­ in insisting that the Justice lower"standard for ourselves som'ces are ~ 'close to the in- ny was published - and to new's complaint that there Department . . . find and was an effort "to indict me . than the law applies to pawn vestigation" because they "hell with the consequences . stop the many sources of shop owners when it orders are the very contractors in the press" through calcu­ leaked information ..." I ate d Justice Department them not to "fenee" stolen who are under investigation, Now Time magazine, with " leaks of kickback allega- And the mighty New York goods , or their lawyers, the;n the its vast circulation. has told its readers that unnamed " Justice Department 0 if i - cials" believe Agnew's in­ dictment is "inevitable," de­ spite the fact that the prose­ cutor says . not one s'Cintilla of evidence has yet been giv­ en to the grand jury, which alone can determine that question. What does that im­ ply about our systerthOf. jus­ tice? It implies that some journals, at least, think it is a farce and a fraud. ERROR B Y trafficking in such leaked information, the press has made a third er­ ror. It has begun to 'accept and to propagate the thor­ oughly un-American notion that some people -namely, pl'·ominent politicians ~ are guilty until proven innocent. ! If that seems exaggerated, ! just consider what the reac­ tion would have been if Time had announc·ed that Justice Department officials had de­ eided, in· advance of any -gralla jury, that Agne\v in­ dictment must be considered "impossible. " Instead of Agnew )J e i n g . the lone complainant, as he is today. the air would be filled with cries of indigna­ tion. Why? Because much of the press and pub 1 i c has come to believe, first, that a prejudgment of guilt is prop­ er for a politician and, sec­ ond, that a prejudgment of innocence must be taken as I evidence of a political fix. I In this climate, what we ' need £1'0111 our leading news­ papers is not an attitude of 1 0 f t y detachment, but ·the reassertion of some funda­ mental truths. One truth is that Spiro Ag- i new is innocent. He is inno­ cent (and not just presumed innocent) because he shares with you and me Hie bless­ ing of citizenship in a coun­ try which, thank God, decid­ ed 2(}(} years ago that the burden of proving anyone of us guilty falls entirely on the state, through a deliberately laborious process of indict­ ment, prosecution and con­ viction at public trial in a court of law. And that is a process in which the press interferes, not only at its own peril, but at hazard to the most impor­ tant . of everyone's funda­ mental rights. Mon., Aug. 27, 1973 **. ~iln ,..rllnd,,, Cl\mtldt 9 · : THE NEW YORK TIMES, SATURDAY, ,1973 GOODMAN ASSA~ .n RULING IN FLORIDA ~------I

Says Equal-Space Decision Momiag Is Like Fairness Doctrine /:------WO (4)Modern Farmer ':00 (4)A8riculture U.S.A. A recent Florida Supreme .. (2)Summer $em... Court decision "has applied to (4)Acrosl the Fence newspapers for the first time 7:t0 (2) Plants Are Like People a type of government control (4)Zoorama that has long hung. over the (5)Pattems tor Living heads of broadcast journalists," (II)Thls Is the Life accordirig to Julian Goodman, 7:10 (2)Wake Up! president of the National (4)Mr. Magoo Broadcasting Company. (S)Chlldren'l Theater: MI". Goodman referred to the "King Thrushbeard" , Florida high court's ruling last (7)Davey and Goliath month, which is being appealed, (t)Newl Reports tha~ ~ 'any newspaper that (11) Medical ColllUltation printed an attack on the char­ L~ (2)Bugl Bunn, acter of any political candidate (4) must give equal spa<:e fur re­ (7)8. R. Pufnstllf buttal." (9)District 9 Front Line In a speech prepared for de­ (ll)Wonderfui World of livery today at a University of Brother Buzz Florida commencement in :25 (7)Muitlr.lIcation Rock: Gainesville, Mr. Goodman Children s program added: 1:21 (Z)NewI ror ChUdren "Now that sounds uncom­ 1:11 (2)Sabnna. cartoons fortably like the equal-time rule (4)Roman Holidays that broadcasters have lived ' (7)Jackson FI,(e with for so many years anc;l (9)Connecticut Report that has effectively kept radio (II)Aprenda Ingla and television from providing (3)Mlster ROlers' Neiah­ full journalistic coverage of po­ borhood (R) litical campaigns. (2)News for ChIldrell "But whether you call it • 0 (2) ~q Chan and tile equal time or equal space; and Chan Clan whether the medium is news­ (4) print or airwaves - no matter (S)Daktari how you slice it, it is the pe0- (7)The Osmonels ple's constitutional right to a (t)Kathryn Kuhlman IIoenZI free press that is being sliced." (11) Biography New Mr. Goodman noted that un­ nl)Se.ame Street (R) like the print media, broad­ atlon casting is licensed by the Gov- :28 (2)Newl for Children ~ ~:~:iC~:~rCo~I:s~:ral ...sO m~e:~:b~:n~O~~~ to July "The licenSing power has (7)Superltar Movie . been expanded to government (9)New Jersey Report he was pressure on programing, and, (ll)Blolf8PhJ D 'oval eX ~ tum, to the Federal re~ul~: 11:00 (4)Underdol (R) ~ presi- tion o! b~?ldcast journahsm~ (5) Combat ,al Con- he Sald. un~er the F.C.C. S (9)Movie: "Twenty MII- ~ iation1J fairness doctrine, that . agency lion Miles to Earth" ir. May~ judges wh~ther a broadcaster (1957) , William Hopper, llitement dealing With a controversial Joan Taylor lit tests issue bas give;t suitable oppor- (lI)Wally"1 Worbhop In of lin those tunity for the expression of all CI)Electric Company (R)/ ou j.l1Sit po- Significant points 'of view. 11:21 (2)News for Children 1.-00 (Z "·But as attacks have turned 10-.s0 (2)Josle and the PwIIJ· M tat against the print media-as ata In Outer Space K ~d ·5 ~- most recently in the Florida (4) (R) He 'ha;y y Supreme Court decision-our (7)The Brady Kleis Halll1!an newspaper colleagues have (IUUntamed World fe~ t o~~n~ come to realize that when the (I1)Mlater Rogen' Nelp- !VI bell tolls for broadcasting, it borhood . ~j ho~~mg also tolls for them." 10:11 (2)News for Children a:ao (7j W~ ay~ }T: . Mr. Goodman is appearing at 11:00 (Z)The Fllntatonll (4! the University of Florida to (4) (R) accept an honorary degree of (5)Soul Train .:00 Al(~ 1 r. M!lye Doctor of Humane Letters. (7) Bewitched phys1lCa1 The university cited him for (II)Movie: "Mark of nait a,nd "outstan~ leadership In the Cain" ( ~ 948), Eric Port- fe ere the communications Industry" man, Sally Gray, Patrick ______._ Holt. Crime of pullon, (4 Ratin for Qui"JkAu. Victorian ndon 1" THE WALL STREET JOURNAL" 10 Tb1ll'l~", AUIliIt 23, 1973 Gannett to Buy 3 Newspapers, , Broadcast Arms

Finn Will Swap ,33.4 Million Inc Of Its Common Stock for :1 Missouri, Oklahoma Dailies pri Am c~ Chain to Expand to 57 Papers cen

BII a WALL STRIlIlT JOURNAL Btall Reporter ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Gannett Co. said it agreed in principle to acquire three daily news- 6.6 papers, two of them in Springfield, Mo., and $10 one in Muskogee, Okla., and their broadcast af- ear filiates for $38.4 mlllion in Gannett common sai stock. . U the acquisiUon is coml11eted, it would ~ bring to 57 the number of newspapers in the Gannett chain. ma The two SPringfield papers are the News, .a ~ morning newspaper, and &: Press, an evening paper. Together, they publish the ev suDday Newa a: Leader. The morning daily has &: a circulation of about 32,000, the evening paper ~~ about 110,000 and the Sunday paper about 80,000. ve All aTe pub~ by Sprfngt1eld Newspapers Inc. As part of that transaction, Gannett also would acquire a 110% interest in television sta­ tion KY'l'V in Sprlngfield, radio station KGBX in SpriDgtleld, and :nuUo 8Il&tion KBKO 111 Ban­ mbal, Mo. Coat of the K1saour1 properties would be $30- of mlIllon. . The Kuskoree paper to be acquired would be the Phoenix a: Times Democrat, a morning aDd Sunday newspaper with a circulaUOn of about 21,000. The paper 18 owned by Oklahoma Preas PubUsbJDg Co. As part of that tranSac­ tion, Gannett al80 would acquire radio station KBIX in Kuskoree. . Completion of these transacUons and Gan­ nett's recent agreement to acquire the :Mar­ ietta, Ohio, Times would give the company, its first acquisiUons in Missouri, Ohio and Okla­ homa. The 157 newspapers 'would include the Marietta acquisiUon. Gannett said both the Springfield and Mus­ k~ operaUons would remain under the cU~on of their current execuUves. Gannett also sa1d the combined newsPaper and ·broad­ cast transacUons were designed to qualify &8 poollngs of interest for accounting purposes and &8 tax-free exchanges. The broadcasting staUon acquisiUons would require Federal CommunicaUons Commission approval. Final closings are expected early next year. The Marietta acquiaiUon also includes two radio stations, one in Marietta and the other in WIlmington, Ohio. FCC approval is required. FROM: A. A. SCHECHTER ASSOCIATES, INC. 551 Fifth Avenue New York, New York 10017 (212) 687-1150 FOR: Gross Telecasting, Inc. FOR RELEASE 10 A.M. , 1973 GROSS TELECASTING INC. (AMEX) TO ACQUIRE FORT WAYNE TV STATION FROM FEDERATED rmDIA INC. FOR $4 MILLION CASH; FMI PLANS LIQUIDATION NEW YORK--AUG. 20-- Gross Telecasting, Inc. and Federated Media Inc. today announced that they have entered into an agreement where- by Gross Telecasting will acquire television station HKJG-TV, the NBC affiliate in Fort Wayne, Ind., for $4,000,000, subject to appro­ val by the Federal Communications Commission. FMI also notec its intention to liquidate, following the sale. Gross Telecasting is traded on the American Exchange, while FMI is O-T-C. In making the announcement, Harold F. Gross, Gross Telecasting chairman, said the purchase price is payable in cash at the closing, expected to take place later this year. The sale has been approved by both boards of directors. He added that he believes "as part of the Gross group, WKJG-TV should make an important contribution to our operating revenues. While the station will operate independently, it will benefit greatly from the management practices and ooerating procedures we have developed over the years." Gross Telecasting is a group broadcaster whose stations domln- ate wealthy, thickly-populated areas in mid-Michigan, wisconsin and Minnesota. With the Fort Wayne outlet, Gross Telecasting adds the expanding northeastern and northwestern Ohio markets and will serve a total population of 10,000,000, with retail sales estimated at $20,000,000,000 annually. (more) -2- The Gross Telecasting stations are WJIM-TV, AM & FM, in Lan- sing, Jl.Uchigan, and \ITKBT-TV, in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. The TV sta­ tions are CBS affiliates. In the first six months of 1973, Gross reported an 11% increase in both net income and earnings per share and a 9% increase in total revenues. Gross' net income was a record $60?,02l and the record total revenue was $3,063,357, equal to 75¢ a share. Gross Tele­ casting, Inc. paid its 7ijth consecutive quarterly dividend of 22 1/2¢ per share.

Federated President Paul Van Hook noted that following the ~ale, it is contemplated that FMI would be liquidated and dissolved pur­ suant to a formal plan of liquidation to be adopted by the board of directors.

HKJG-TV has accounted for 80 ~ of Frn' s revenues and the sale and the liquidation are subject to shareholder approval at the an­ nual meeting this fall. WKJG is channel 33 in Fort Wayne, which is an all UHF market. Gross noted that with the acquisition of l,rKJG, Gross Telecasting has increased its penetration in a fast growing, five state area.

The Fort Wayne market itself has expanded substantially, as ha~ the entire region, including five counties in Ohio reached by the sta­ tion's signal. Population in the coverage area is ij,OOO,OOO and re­ tail sales almost $9,000,000,000. Gross' original outlets, 1.,IIJH1-TV, Lansing and IvKBT-TV, LaCrosse, serve a population of over 6,000,000 with retail sales estimated at $11,250,000,000 annually.

(more) ( -3- FMI, whose fiscal year ends July 31, was organized in to acquire the television and business of TeleVision Communications Corporation prior to TVCts merger with

Warner Communications Inc. In addition to the Fort ~ITayne tele­ vision station, FMI operates WBNB-TV, a CBS affiliate in Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands, and KNWA(FM) in Fayetteville, Arkansas. FMI has previously announced the execution of an agreement for the sale of the radio station for $140,000, subject to approval of the Federal Communications Commission.

# # # # Editorial. on topics of public Inter.st are pr.. ented regularly on 79 by Ben Hoberman, Vice Pre.ident and General Manager. KABC offe.. free broedcast time to Qualified persons with opposing views. Your comments concerning the•• editorial. 3321 South La Clenega Boulevard will be greatly apprecleted. Los Angele., California 90016 Paul V . Dallas, Editorial Director (213) 663-3311 AN ABC OWNED RADIO STATION

73 - 15

JUDICIAL OVERKILL

In an editorial broadcast last August 16th, KABC protested Judge Julius Leetham's gag order involving a murder case before him. We said his extraordin~ry order prohibiting all news media from reporting or commenting on certain aspects of the case went beyond anything this democracy is used to.

We saw it as an infringement on the First Amendment. Mirror took the same view and filed a petition to void the restriction~ If the gag order had not been vigorously protested, this encroachment on free speech would have set a precedent.

Last week, the Court of Appeals ruled that ' Judge Leetham's gag order was, indeed, out of order. The Appellate Court called it an act of judicial overkill and vacated it.

KABC welcomes this news. The First Amendment has been in effect since 1791, so the Court of Appeal's decision doesn't really change anything but, the way we see it, a freedom saved is a freedom earned.

III

(Broadcast 7 times over KABC on Tuesday, January 30, 1973.) • All 1ranc',"!, ... "tct, 3', . -** Tues., ug. 7, 973 FTC War 9 on TV Itds for Kids Washington food items like spn drinks, • Exposing children to DIRECTED are still many unanswered Chairman Lewis A. Eng­ candy and snacks without advertisements tor products The National Association questions" about such adver­ man of the Federal Trade explaining how they relate which promise to affect the of Broadc·asters has adopted tising. Com m iss ion warned to a well-balanced nutrition user's mood or well-being. its own "statement of prin­ Engman said about $400 broadcasters and adver­ program. ciples" for advertising di­ million is spent a,mually on · Use of program charac­ rected at children, encourag­ tisers yesterday they will • Use of prelniums and ters. either live or animated, television advertising for be "circumscribed by legal, ing disclosure of nutritional " 54 million little consumers contests to create artificial to sell products to children. information in commerciaL,> restrictions and require­ demand for a product. . quite prepared to let mother ments" unless they draft • Use of program charac­ and warning against use of and father know their pref­ voluntary guideline fol' • Encourage ent f or portrays children in unsafe material that might frighten erence for the sweet chunchy television commercial di­ children to ask parents to acts or w 11 i c h frightens 'children. snack or the talking robot. " rected at children. buy a product. . children. But. Engman said. "There Unitf'.llPr_ The first of a series of me e tin g s to draft such guidelines has been sched­ uled tentatively later this week, a senior FTC official said. It will include repre­ sentatives of broadcasting, advertising, con' sum e l' groups and government. "I am convinced," Eng­ man told the American Bar Association's young lawyers, "that the time has come for responsible individuals in advertising and broadcast­ ing communities. working with the government and the

public at largel to develop a voluntary code for television in the United States spelling out ";,Inat is acceptable and . ('hat is not acceptable ad­ vertising directed at chil­ dren. "If television deceives our children, . if it frustrates them through false or mis­ leading promises, if it pro­ motes the sale of dqngerous toys or other products, if it fosters dietary habits which endanger their health . . . I think it will soon find it­ self circumscribed by legal restrictions and require­ ments. "Whether it is voluntary action or action by the Con­ gress, or by the Federal Communications Com m i s­ sion, or by the Federal Trade Commission, or by any other branch or agency of government, is up to the interested parties. But I am confident and I assure you, that there will be action." CODE Engman said the code­ hould at least cover these areas: , • Distortion of product performance through use of visual technique~. • Confusion over sal e prices and what exactly is included in a quoted price. • Advertisements which encourage the purchase of f ~ F ~ F~ tlu.31Cf73 ; •••i l ondon's Talking AIJou' .. -'1..1...... : - .- I You Can't Print That i I:-' - -; ·Illy Alvin Shuster pursue it would be contempt oJ. -; ,I New York Times court/'; ; London The purpose of British con- ; :I temp1l law, of course, js to in- : _ T HE news article on a sex of- sure a , fair trial by ruling out - :I fense, in The Eastbourne "tri,al by newspaper." Editors : , :1 Herald, a small weekly publish- often find the effect suffocating. : :I ed in the resort town on Eng- 'Alti)..ough they'support the con- : - land's south coast, seemed in- cept' of i~suting a fair trial, edi- - :I nocuous. tors argile that the rules on con- : :I The newspaper , reported that tempt are often t90/ widesweep- : t -.cat a ~prelimmary hearing the·de- ing and va",," ; leaVing newsmen : , fendant appeared "Bespectacled in peril of prosec~~on. ' ; / and dressed in a dark suit:" It Along Fleet Street; London's - _ - also said that the charge was publishing district, a main focus : I serious and th,at the accused had of attack in recent days has : I: been married on New Year's been the government's decision ; - Day. on the ,law controlling the re- - - Last' month, in a rUling British lease of information. Despite - I: Prime Minister Edward Heath's -; _ editors are describing as aston- Th' 'tt ·t pledges to elimm' ate "unn' ece' s- _ _ ishing, the weekly was fined $500 ere IS no wn en consti u- _ - for those comments and others. tion here, no First Amendment sary secrecy," editors are con· - I: A magistrate's court ruled that with its provision guaranteeing vinced that life will not get any : :I I the phrases went beyond the le- freedom of the press. And the easier. : :I 1 gal limits imposed on press r60 laws covering libel, the release * * * ; :I i! porting in such cases. ' of governmental ,information : _ Ii and contempt of court are' all FOR A TIME they had hoped' _ I: II *' * ' * mu.ch tougher. for a major relaxation of the : ' _ II tough provisions 0 f the 80- - :I II * * * year-old Official Secrets A,ct, : :I II U NDER THE Criminal Jus- which guards the government : - i tice Act, newspapers are ~~W E OPERATE under se- from 2Iealous newsmen. One of - =!: restricted in 'such hearings to re- vere inhibitions," said the toughest such laws in the : I: porting only the bare details sf a Harold Evans, editor of The Stin- West, it makes it a crime to pub- : I: charge unless the defendant day Times, which has built its lish anything aj;_~Il from offici ; _ elects to have publicity. The de- recent reputation in investigative docum ts of' any e nt t _ = fendant in this case did not ; the reporting, "We could never have u ess release seen author- ' : I: reporter went bey 0 n d the few followed the U.S. example in ized. ;_ : facts in the charge sheet and the rep 0 r t in g a Watergate case. Unlike laws In the United _ : Attorney General authorized the The criminal charges , against States, the act makes no distinc- : • move against the weekly. the original ¢efendants i,n the tion between security informa- _ : The case dramatically illus- bugging would just about have tion and other government infor- ; : trated the difference bet-weeD stopped all future stories dealing . mation. A British Attorney Gen- ' :I • press ,restrictions here and in with the c~ver.up. , eral once said that a new spa. - : the Uilited States. The British " In legal terms, it takes only per could violate the law if it re- . :I : press, lively ' as it is, operates one charge against the partici- ported "the number of cups of :I I: under far more stringent legal pant to silence all cemment, no tea conswned per week in a gov- :I _ restraints thaI) U.S. newspapers. matter how wide the impact. To ernment department." _ ~- .•..•...... •...... - ...... - ...... ;------..----..;:..' I-=:======:=::;:::;::::::::::-=,